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It's that time of year again!! Baking, cooking, family AND stress....So I thought we could all share ideas to reduce stress, tips for making holiday times a little easier! Support from eachother is SO critical.....

My tips:

Write out the menu and shopping list weeks in advance, shop a little at a time. Set up a box of foods NOT TO TOUCH...

Gather the old family recipes and double check cabinets for all the ingred.

Shop early - look for bargains Make it a potluck – save time and have family and friends help with some of their favorite healthy side dishesPrepare some foods in advance - appetizers and desserts can be prepared in advance

We always go to my Mother in laws. Ugh, bad enough, my DH's little newhews are so bad and they always give me a bad HA. They come every other year and this year they will be there. The good news/bad news is my Mom and son are coming up from VA. They will go with us to Monster in laws, but the bad news is I have to kill myself cleaning. I just cleaned the spare room last night and started on the bathroom and I am in sooo much pain. I am trying to do this a room at a time so the house is not a sty when my Mom gets here. She is handicapped and ,even tho I am sick, ends up making me wait on her hand and foot. I will be so happy to see her and my son, but the extra work does not make me happy. My son will help me to take care of her, but he will probably run out the door to see his friends leaving me to deal with her cuz he does it all while he lives with her.

It is going to take me to Christmas to recover from this.

My Mother in Law and Mom have not seen each other since the wedding and MIL was not nice to her then, so hoping she is this time. Talk about stress! I think I will drive up to see you Amy Joe.

With what is happening to that Carnival Ship right now, I would rather fly to an Island. I feel for those poor people, no electric or hot water since Monday. They will finally get to land today. Let's fly instead.

I am doing Thanksgiving very different this year. For the first time in a long time I am not making thanksgiving dinner. My friend and I are volunteering at the church to help with a Thanksgiving Dinner they put on for anyone who hasnt a place to go. Last year they served over 400 dinners. I will pace myself and not overdue it...but it will make my heart happy to give back I guess. THEN the day after Thanksgiving this same friend ( who is more like a sister to me) is putting on a big Thanksgiving Dinner for both our families. All I have to make is Butternut Squash Soup!!! It will be nice to not have to work so hard on a holiday. Also..because my hubby and I have 6 kids and 5 grandkids we have regular Sunday Dinners anyway. Im getting better at letting my husband do alot of the work and also at having potluck dinners where everyone participates and brings things. Its all about FAMILY.Right now Im not doing very well. The cold is already getting to me and a new med Im on is making me want to sleep alot. So I am working hard to pace myself and do only what I can do in a day. I gotta say LAUNDRY is the worst for me. Folding and hanging make my arms useless after a short time and it takes days to get over 1 load of laundry. Someones gotta invent self cleaning and self folding clothes!!Wishing everyone a comfortable pain free nightSheila

An island with cool drinks and food ready for me sounds better than 30 plus people for thanksgiving at my sisters. I tried to talk her out of it as she is tired of doing the hosting after 26 years ..... I have a sil who brings over half of the family with her and should be doing the hosting....

so an island away from all family sounds really good. I am not a cruise person but I would even be willing to take one, especially with the latest fiasco....and a chance to escape!

oh, and since I will be at the sisters I will be bringing the home made rolls, relish tray and at least a dessert or two. One thing I started a few years ago was to take wood skewers, saw them in half (no splinters if done right or just sand them down), put large marshmallows on the skewers, dip in melting chocolate and sprinkle on sprinkles. Have them set up and eat....really good and well loved by all ages!

wendi wrote:Yuck! I would rather pay for cold booze than drink free warm stuff. I feel for those poor people. Yes, they are getting a refund and another trip. One poor couple is on their honeymoon. Awe.....

Are you saying awe to the lady who was wearing her head thingy and was a bit drunk and excited at getting the free cruize? LMAO

If you get a group of 30 people you can buy a drink option for free drinks! Last time it cost me a extra 150 for the free drinks and my tab was bigger than that before we even left the dock...

Plus after traveling across africa I am used to warm drinks, even hot beer!

Perhsps we should look into this for next year (or christmas!) This year we are thinking of a thanksgiving chili, or maybe just some turkey legs on the smoker...

Chris: I was feeling sorry for the Honeymooners. They were on the Today show this morning. They said, yes they get a free cruise, but they used up their time off of work, so they can't go again any time soon. I am happy they are all safe and sound.

Tinliz: I understand what you are going thru. That sil should host. My MIL is excited my Mom and son are coming, but she was pretty rude to my Mom 6 years ago at the wedding and before when we went out to eat, her sister was way nicer. I just hope she is nice being she is hosting Thanksgiving dinner. Last time, every time my Mom tried talking to her, she ignored her. I have come to dread the Holidays. It is so much stress. I would like to sleep right thru and wake up next year.

Sheila:

What you are doing is wonderful and so selfless. Do be careful and think about yourself and don't overdo. Let others do the heavy lifting. Happy Thanksgiving!

To decrease holiday stress, I try to have a plan of action..... I try to have Christmas cards/letters written before Thanksgiving so that all I have to do is mail them in early Dec. I schedule a day to do Christmas baking with my mom, SIL, or best friend to complete baking, then we divide the stuff and we are all done, if it is a few weeks in advance, I just freeze the stuff. Shopping, I have try to spread it through the months.... it helps budget and I don't fight so much holiday traffic at the mall. Like I buy the stuff for the shoe boxes for Samaritans purse, my work provides for a local family or peds center.... so when I find cheap crayons, coloring books, etc I buy them. same thing for toiletries at cheap prices for homeless/women's shelters. We also this year have had family gift exchange among the adults so that we have fewer people to buy for, plus we set a limit so that is does not get excessive.

I have lots of great goals, but somehow, I still am stressed. I have a friend who does manage to have it all done the week after Thanksgiving... she is my hero.... She just enjoys parties, socials for the holidays....

Grr. Christmas cards... I forgot to do these... oh well... there goes my next weekend.

Oh- easy dessert idea- libby's pumpkin rolls. Freeze, then slice, thaw, serve. It just takes a few minutes from freezer to serving so great to pull out anytime or make a quick gift plate for surprise visiters this time of the year. I keep a few small tins already lined in the kitchen cabinet to fill then pass out. I also have small jars of peach butter I make each year in the kitchen too as additional presents.

I will be spending turkey day at the in-laws NOT by choice mind you, We are waiting for our new place to be readied for us to move into. I think hubby is talking about taking us out to dinner (he, me and the kids only). The cruise idea is nice though.